Tag Archives: deaths

General Safety Issues

WE NEVER KNOW WHERE ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN!

Who would have thought that a healthy, young firefighter would lose his life during a baseball game?   That is exactly what happened on Thursday night, when Shannon Stone, attending the Texas Rangers game with his young son, age 6, reached to catch a ball tossed into the stands by AL MVP Josh Hamilton.  This is common for outfielders to do, giving fans a chance for a baseball.  Stone, a firefighter from Brownwood, Texas, caught the ball, but tumbled over a railing and plunged 20 feet onto concrete.  When the first responders got to him, he was waving his arms, and asking them to be sure his son was all right, as he was in the stands alone.  His arms were swinging, and he talked and was conscious.  A man beside him tried to catch him as he fell, but was unable to.  The 39-year old veteran firefighter lost his life a short time later at a Fort Worth hospital, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner. 

Firefighters in Brownwood lost no time holding a benefit cook-out for the Stone family.   Shannon had served with the Brownwood Fire Department for almost 18 years, according to Brownwood City Manager Bobby Rountree.  Brownwood is located 150 miles southwest of Arlington.  According to a lady sitting nearby Stone  at the game, Shannon was asking Josh to throw him the ball.  Hamilton and the entire Rangers team are very distraught over this tragedy. 

Almost exactly a year earlier at Rangers Ballpark, another firefighter fell about 30 feet from the second-deck of seats down the right-field line while trying to catch a foul ball on July 6, 2010.  Tyler Morris, a firefighter from the Lakes Cities Fire Department near Dallas, fractured his skull and sprained an ankle last year when he dropped onto seats where other fans were sitting.  After the incident, Morris called the accident an “100 per cent accident that could have happened to anybody.”  The four fans that he landed on had only minor injuries, and remained at the game and then were treated in the stadium’s first aid area.  Morris didn’t blame the Rangers or the ballpark.  In 1994, a Plano woman posing for a picture after the Rangers’ first game in the new stadium sustained multiple injuries after falling about 35’. 

Last week’s fatal fall at a major league stadium was the second for this season.  In May, a 27-year old man died after he fell about 20 feet and struck his head on concrete during a Colorado Rockies game.  Witnesses told police that the man had been trying to slide down a staircase railing at Coors Field and lost his balance during a game against Arizona. 

The Rangers Ballpark has rails that are higher than safety codes require.  President and CEO Nolan Ryan has not committed to any specific changes at the park, but the Rangers promised a full stadium safety review of the ballpark.  There aren’t many baseball fans that wouldn’t love to get to catch a ball in a Major League game, and give it to one of their kids.  But common sense has to come into play.  It’s up to the fans to act responsibly and go back home safely at the end of the game.  No one wants to leave this world because of an accident (over a baseball), so think seriously about safety, wherever you go!

Our hearts go out to this family and his family of firefighters.  What better thing to do than for a dad to take his little boy to a Major League ballgame?  May the family be comforted by the fact that people who have heard this story are deeply saddened by this tragedy.

Fall Safety

COUNTING DOWN FOR SAFETY!

Yesterday, we began a series about OSHA’s Top Ten List for violations and citations for fiscal year October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010.  Number One on the violations list was Scaffolding, Construction (29 CFR 1926.451).  Topping the list for citations and coming in second for violations is Fall Protection, Construction (29 CFR 1926.501).  Because construction is often done at elevated heights, the risk of injury and death from falling is greater than almost any industry in the United States.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in a 7-year period, more than 4,500 American workers died as a result of falls.  Many workers  fall through existing openings in roofs, floors, skylights, temporary staircases, and off edges of roofs.

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There are many examples of persons losing their lives because they were not using the proper safety equipment.  One man was thrown from the bucket of a cherry picker when it was hit by a delivery truck.  Two other men were in the bucket with him, but were wearing harnesses.  Witnesses said he wasn’t even wearing a hardhat, let alone a harness.  Another worker fell from the 10th floor of a hotel that was under construction.  He was not wearing a harness, and climbed on the outside of a rail, despite being warned not to do so.

Contractors must identify all potential fall hazards in the workplace before work is to begin.  Any time a worker is at a height of six feet or more, he is at risk and needs protection from falling.  Some of the precautions to be taken are:

  • Proper training of employees in the use of the safety system.
  • Proper supervision of workers.
  • Compliance with safe work procedures at all times.
  • Selection of proper fall protection systems appropriate for each building site.
  • Proper construction and installation of safety system.
  • Being sure that everyone understands.  Language barriers have been known to be at the root of many accidents.

As with any job, each worker is responsible for his own safety.  Set an example by taking a few extra minutes to be sure that your safety equipment is going to work correctly.  Wear your harnesses or other fall protection equipment!  Others will follow suit, when they see that you are serious about safety.

Many persons are hurt by falling off ladders.  It is important to choose the right ladder for the job.  The ladder should extend three feet above the surface, and for every four feet in height of the ladder, the base should be one foot away from the wall.  There are three types of ladders:

1)      Type 1, which supports 250 lbs.

2)      Type 1A, which supports 300 lbs.

3)      Type 1AA, which supports 375 lbs.

Be sure to tie the ladder to fixed points – this will take about 5 minutes total for you to do at the beginning and end of the day, and could keep you safe.  One other thing, when working on a ladder, don’t carry materials or tools while climbing the ladder.  Use a tool belt, or install a rope and pulley system, or tie a rope around materials and pull them up when you reach the work surface.

Anyone who works in high places has my greatest admiration – I can’t even climb three feet off the ground!  It is obvious that when the same violations occur year after year, it’s an indication that employers and employees are making the same mistakes every year about compliance with OSHA standards.  This is a very serious threat to the safety and lives of thousands of construction workers.   So, we are repeating for all those who are involved in working in high places: Fall Protection, Construction, (29CFR 1926.501) was #1 in highest penalties assessed by OSHA for fiscal year 2010, and #2 in Top Ten Violations, fiscal year 2010.

Source: OSHA, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

General Safety Issues

A COMMENT REGARDING “DRIVE SAFELY WORK WEEK”

3 Comments

October 4 – 8 is Drive Safely Work Week.  This years’ campaign is about the dangers of distracted of driving, and is sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety.  How many persons on our nation’s roads drive trucks or buses for a living?  They have the responsibility to focus on driving safely every day.  The rest of us should do the same. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 40,000 Americans die on our highways every year.  Every twelve minutes someone dies in a vehicular accident on U.S. Roads.  Every 10 seconds someone is injured and has to be taken to an Emergency Room.  It is also estimated that in addition to the 40,000 Americans who die annually, another 270,000 are hospitalized, resulting in costs  exceeding ninety-nine billion dollars to states and our nation.  Even though the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) says vehicle fatalities have declined in recent years due to newer vehicles having better safety features, and seat belt use has improved, the number of traffic deaths caused by distracted driving has increased. 

The agency reports that distracted drivers cause 4 out of 5 motor vehicle crashes in the U.S.  The main distractions are cell phones and gadgets. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reports that more than 500,000 persons are injured and nearly 6,000 die in accidents annually caused by distracted drivers.  

If you think you have already read the above article, you have!   The following comment was sent to me from Teresa Breen, and it is an important message that I want to share with all our readers.  Please give her comment extra special attention: 

 “We lost our son March 15, 2009 because he was texting while driving. He had everything going for him, he was just 23, a United States Marine and father and he let something as silly as texting take his life. I have made it a point in my life to speak and teach any and everyone I can on these dangers so maybe just one family will not have to go thru the pain and suffering we go thru everyday. Please look at your last text and tell me, is it really worth dying over or possibly killing someone else?? Thank you,”

After reading her comment, I asked permission to share this message with our readers, and this was her response:

“PLEASE share, my husband and myself have made it our mission now to get our sons story out there and pray that it saves just one life. I am not sure I mentioned but we have done a PSA/Documentary for AT&T and also for a company named Motion Masters a learning video that is for schools and businesses. Your life is changed forever and there is not a waking second that you do not think of your child, a parent is not supposed to bury their child… Keep the articles going.. God Bless..”

So, again: put down the cell phone, or turn it off.  Those messages will be there when you are able to stop.  The cost of human life is worth more than some conversation on the phone.  Things can happen too quickly, especially when we are behind the wheel.  If you have to make a call, by all means, pull over and stop.  You will be much safer, and so will the others that are sharing the road with you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Safety Issues

DON’T TAILGATE IF YOU WANT TO ARRIVE SAFELY!

On August 5th,  in Missouri, on Interstate Highway 44, two persons lost their lives and around 50 others were injured, following a collision involving four vehicles.  A truck tractor (with no trailer) was stopped because of traffic congestion in a highway work zone.  First, a 19-year old young man ran his pickup into the truck.  Then, a school bus carrying students completely ran over the pickup, and landed on top of the truck.  Next, a second bus loaded with students from the same group ran into the first bus.  One student was killed, along with the 19-year old driver of the pickup.  Around fifty persons were treated and released from area hospitals; however, two students remain hospitalized, one in serious condition. 

Missouri Highway Patrol officers surmise that the accident was caused by driver inattention and following too closely, judging by the accident scene.  A National Transportation Safety Board team of 14 persons will be investigating the cause of the wreck, which may take months to clear up. 

It’s never a good idea to follow a big truck too closely, whether in a work zone, or regular highway conditions.  Truck drivers have certain “no zone/blind spots” that don’t allow them to see that another vehicle is right behind them.  It also takes a big rig longer to come to a stop.  Wrecks are common in work zone areas.  According to the Federal Highway Administration, 720 persons died in work zones across the United States in 2008.  It’s hard to maneuver around barrels in work zones, especially if you are driving too fast, or distracted.  There are workers present in many of those areas, who will appreciate your showing them that you respect their safety.

It’s never a good idea to follow anyone too closely! Another top cause of most crashes  is when someone is literally riding on the tail of the car in front of them.  This angers the driver in front, who taps on their brakes to get the tailgater to back off.  This is a dangerous move that can cause the driver behind to lose control and slam into the front car’s back bumper. 

Timing Rules Used To Avoid Car Accidents Caused By Tailgating:

When you are driving a car, it can be hard for you to determine the distance between you and the car in front of you, so  remember these three rules:

1.  Two Second Rule

If you are on a dry and clear road, it is recommend that you count two seconds to safely gauge the distance between you and the car in front of you.  When the car in front of you drives past a sign, you should reach the count of two before you pass the sign.

2.  Four Second Rule

In wet and rainy conditions, you should allow a four second safety gap between yourself and the car in front of you.  Bad weather can cause decreased tire traction, slips and skids.

3.  Ten Second Rule

In icy and snowy conditions, and roads are most dangerous, allow this rule.  It may seem like too much time needed in order to determine distance, but every winter car accident statistics go up because motorists feel they can ignore this rule.  It’s much harder to control or stop your vehicle on these roads.

Another thought is to observe the speed limit, and allow 10’ of distance for every 10 m.p.h. that you are driving.  If you are going 60, allow 60’ between you and car ahead of you.  This is difficult to do on a busy freeway, but it is possible to do it on a regular highway.  

  Slow down, and back off.  You are all going the same direction, and you will get there safer if you give everyone their fair share of the road.  If you cause an accident and take a life, it will change things forever.  You can’t take it back.  Think about the responsibility you have to be a safe driver each time you get behind the wheel.